Monument record MDO2368 - Culverhayes car park, Sherborne; possible Roman settlement

A number of pits were revealed during the excavation of a new surface water drain at Culverhayes car park, Ludbourne Road in 1951 and in two cross trenches black layers and stone debris were plotted to reveal the suggested outline of a circular hut with a hearth at the centre. The pottery from the site, had a date range of 60-180 AD. A subsequent excavation in the back garden of Elmdene, South Street, failed to provide further evidence for this settlement, other than unstratified finds of Roman pottery.

[Area centred ST 64071641] (3) A Romano-British site at Culverhayes; [At A] (N.G. Ref ST 64071638)

"During digging by U.D.C. workmen for new surface drains at Culverhayes Car Park, Ludbourne Road, near the R. Yeo, a number of pits were noticed by Mr Bean in the underlying gravel, and over the gravel in accumulation of debris including animal bones. It was not possible to determine the character of the pits and excavations in the gravel owing to the narrowness of the trenches, but in two cross-trenches black layers and stone debris were noted which, when plotted, suggested the existence
of a circular hut, with traces of burning at the centre as if from a hearth.

Mr Bean states that the pottery from the site both Samian and the normal local coarse ware, appear to be of the period c. A.D. 60-180.....

Practically the whole of the remains nearer Ludbourne Road appear to have been removed when the houses and road were constructed".(1)

"Mr C.E. Bean states that boys of Mr G.J.B. Watkins' house, Sherborne School, carried out a trial dig under Mr Watkins' direction in the kitchen garden of Elmdene, South Street, Sherborne". (At B] (N.G. ref. ST 64051638). The garden is immediately to the west of the Culverhayes Car Park site [at A]
and Romano-British relics were met with a comparable level. "The site, however, was much disturbed, partly by a stone culvert running north-south along the east boundary wall separating the garden from the Car Park...."(2)

"The extent of this site is not known as area is built on, it probably goes N.W. on the slight ridge of ground." (3). (1-3)

There are now no surface indications of the above excavations, and no surface finds were made during field investigation. Area 'A' is covered by a tarmac car park, and 'B' is in a private garden. (4)

<1> Bean, C E, 1951, Romano-British and mediaeval discoveries in Sherborne; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, p.111 (Article in serial). SDO10307.

<2> Bean, C E, 1952, A Romano-British site near Culverhayes, Sherborne; Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, p.108 (Article in serial). SDO10308.

<3> Bean, C E, Annotated record map Corr 6", MARCH 1954 (Map). SDO16337.

<4> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 19-JUL-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 199476 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 19 2022 12:07PM